In 2017, COBI initiated a fishery improvement project in collaboration with the National Committee Giant Squid Product System, which has sought to document and support both efforts and commitments to sustainable fisheries, as well as support the role of women as leaders in decision-making within the National Committee. This has been possible thanks to two main factors: the visibility and integration of women in positions of power, such as occupying presidency roles within the committees, and the openness to involve women in a significant way in the planning, implementation and management of work plans to improve the fishery.

This openness allows setting an example of a better adaptation to egalitarian social dynamics, thus recognizing the productive sector as an extensive and complex system to ensure the sustainable management of marine-coastal resources.

In recent times, a participatory research programme led by the private partner has been working towards allowing the new heritage authority to promote a genuine values-based and participatory heritage management. Understanding heritage in terms of who assigns just what importance can inform site conservation and improve the management of change in the wider landscape. Diverse perceptions of, and relationships with, the World Heritage property and other heritage have been mapped, and this has allowed previously neglected connections and interdependencies to emerge.

The initiative also works to identify capacity within civil society, institutions and among local heritage specialists to contribute to heritage agendas and so steps beyond classic cultural mapping to understand what triggers positive change in a broad local network.

The first tangible results emerging are geo-referenced tools aimed at improving decision-making regarding change and continuity and harnessing local capacities in the process. The overarching aim is that of capturing the full potential of heritage’s contribution to sustainable development in this difficult and complex area.

The nature of Herculaneum’s burial 2000 years ago meant that open-air excavation in the early 20th c. revealed an extraordinary level of preservation of the Roman town but had to be accompanied by the stabilization of these multistorey ruins, and the reinstatement of roads and drainage systems. The site today requires conservation of the archaeological fabric but also of these aging restoration interventions, and at an urban scale.

However, efforts at Herculaneum in the late 20th c. approached the site as a series of individual elements. This was partly due to limited access to interdisciplinary expertise and steady funding sources – sporadic capital funding for one-off localised projects predominated.

With the turn of the millennium, a new approach was taken that mapped conservation issues and interdependencies between them across the entire site, and acted on them. Initial efforts focused on resolving situations in areas at risk of collapse or with vulnerable decorative features. Over time the focus shifted to long-term strategies for reducing the causes of decay and developing site-wide maintenance cycles sustainable by the public authority alone so that the site would not revert back. With these now entirely sustained by the public partner the overarching objective has been achieved.

A Local Stewardship Council (LSC) is the main representative of a World Surfing Reserve and is in charge of implementing the Local Stewardship Plan. The LSC works together with Save The Waves Coalition to Protect, Steward, and Defend their surf ecosystem.

LSC members work on the ground and with the local community to carry out activities that result in the long-term conservation of the reserve as well as celebrate and honor the tradition of surfing and ocean recreation.  The Stewardship Planning Process brings together the LSC and important community members to map out the the critical threats to the region and come up with long term goals and objectives for permanent protection.  

The Stewardship Planning Process generally follows the outline in "Measures of Success" that includes building a Conceptual Model, developing a management plan that identifies goals, objectives, actions and timelines based on the threats to address.

The tubular nets technology was co-designed with women producers themselves to ensure it was adapted to their needs and became theirs.

Several tests were necessary to determine the optimal length of the nets (15m instead of 30m), and how to harvest them (opening them to remove the seaweed instead of cutting the seaweed outgrowth). This ensured the nets were adapted to the women's needs. 

Engagement with seaweed buyers and wider stakeholders aimed to raise awareness on the benefits of tubular nets for women's empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Activities led by SeaPoWer were carefully designed to gradually build capacity, progressively raise awareness and challenge perceived boundaries. They aimed to challenge taboos, fears and restrictions related to women going out to sea with the introduction of basic seafaring and safety skills, and working in equal capacity alongside selected male boat skippers, who needed to become accustomed and also change their attitudes to women's presence on board boats.

This is part of the transformative approach of innovation for women's empowerment promoted by Sea PoWer.

Sea PoWer facilitated the formation of two groups of women producers. It involved them in the design of the tubular net technology (e.g. testing net length and harvesting method) to ensure that the technology was adapted to their needs.

SeaPoWer developed the capacity of producers to:

• Construct tubular nets.
• Plant and monitor seaweed growth.
• Record keeping.
• Be safer at sea (e.g. wear life jackets on the boat). 
• Handle boats with men.
• Construct basket traps to catch fish under the nets.

Sea PoWer also encouraged women to work together as a group, as several people are needed to seed and harvest the nets and supported their organisational capacity.

In 2015 started the consultations among all MIHARI members, to establish a clear and functioning structure. There are 45 fishers who are elected to be representatives of their region, and who meet regionally or nationally every year. They also have opportunities during these events to approach directly government officials, which has had a great impact.

Since its creation, MIHARI has always involved the government authorities, at the highest level. It has made the Ministries of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, as well as of Environment, visible, as they were both cited as main partners, host of conferences, etc. MIHARI has also consulted the authorities along processes, such as the formalisation of a reference guide on LMMAs, the first of this kind in the country, to be hopefully eventually integrated in the national law.